


Gradually Colliding

by HMS_Gunner



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, College AU, Fluffy, Lemon bars, M/M, POV Liam, Platonic Larry, Platonic Niam, The fluffiest thing I've ever written, The slightest touch of OT5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-25
Updated: 2014-10-25
Packaged: 2018-02-22 13:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2509994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HMS_Gunner/pseuds/HMS_Gunner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes four months for them to come together and stay that way. Of course, Niall accidentally screws with things.</p><p>Ziam College AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gradually Colliding

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick one-shot.

[-] September [-]

The frat house was unbearably stuffy, the air hot, humid, and sticky with sweat and alcohol. The music was too loud, reverberating through the sludgy air, and people, so many people, were dancing and drinking and chatting. This was college, and Liam wasn't quite used to this sort of scene yet. He had already lost Niall somewhere in the crowd, possibly to a brunette, and there was no room to breathe, let alone think. He didn't understand how anyone enjoyed this. He definitely understood letting loose with a drink or two, but he preferred smaller gatherings with his close friends, ones in which he could actually hear them speak.

Tired of the girl spilling her drink on him every time she tried to talk/shout, he found his way to the backyard, where there were two benches on a small, wooden deck. It was midnight, the moon high in the sky, and the deck was quiet and surprisingly deserted. The red Solo cup in his hand no longer felt cold, the ice in the jungle juice long having melted, so he set it down on the bench and sighed. Liam wiped the sweat from his brow and walked around, trying to cool down in the soon-to-be autumn night. Behind him, the door swung open, letting in light and noise, but it shut just as quickly, bathing the place in silence again. Liam turned around and found himself in the company of a raven-haired boy.

"Mind if I smoke?" the boy said.

"Not at all," Liam replied easily.

Quickly, the stranger produced a lighter and a cigarette, lighting it up with a practiced flick and inhale, puffing out smoke within seconds. He took a seat on the bench closest to Liam and leaned back on his palms, the cigarette limply dangling between his fingers.

"So, you one of the brothers?" the guy asked.

"Me? No, I'm a freshman. Figured I'd see what all the fuss was about," Liam replied, arms waving to the house behind them while pacing slowly about.

"Same, though I'm kind of regretting it. I'm Zayn, by the way."

"Liam."

He took a seat on the bench next to his new acquaintance and they shook hands, laughing afterward at the inherent awkwardness of the token gesture.

They fell into a conversation after that, talking as if it had already begun long before their time and they were simply carrying it on, the bearers of a shared stream of thought. They clicked well, and it helped that Zayn was so easy to talk to. It could have been because he was in the presence of a complete stranger that Liam could be fully honest with his opinions, but maybe it was the company he was in. Zayn was unafraid of expressing himself and hung on to every word, even long after his cigarette had burned down to the filter, and responded in kind with genuine opinions.

"If I weren't here, I'd be traveling, seeing the world," Liam said.

"Oh, yeah? Where to?"

"Montréal. I hear it's a beautiful city and so are the people."

Zayn hummed in thought, stubbing the cinders of the butt out on the ground.

"I think I'd travel a little farther. I'd love to go to Viet Nam someday or China, just to see the landscapes. It's like, if I see the beauty out there, I'd know why we persist."

Liam hummed this time, looking out at the stars, pondering just what Zayn meant by that. Before he could ask, the door swung open again, an invasion of noise spilling in. The two spun around. A short boy with brown hair and blue eyes stuck his head out from the door.

"Zayn, there you are! We're heading out!" the boy said.

He ducked his head back out and Zayn sighed. He got up and walked to the door with his hands pocketed, a slump setting in his shoulders. Liam stood up, disappointed at how abruptly a conversation like theirs had ended, but he hid his frown, content with the fact that he had had a decent conversation with a total stranger. Then, as he gripped the doorknob, Zayn turned around, and Liam could feel his heart screech to a halt. The smile Zayn flashed him was bright and unabashed, one that said 'I had a great time'.

"It was nice to meet you, Liam. I'll see you around."

Liam smiled back, his breath caught in his throat. "Same here, Zayn. Get home safely."

[-] October [-]

A month and a half after Welcome Week, Liam had yet to encounter Zayn again. He thought about him then and there, thinking back to their conversation, unable to recall anything, really, except for the way Zayn smiled at him at the end. If Liam remembered anything else about Welcome Week for the rest of his life, it would be the quiet second a beautiful boy stole his heart. Thinking about it now, his stomach did a small flip and he stared out into nothingness with a glazed-over, far away look.

"Whatcha thinkin' bout?" Niall asked, sipping his hot chocolate. His grin was sly, and Liam flushed, quickly schooling his expression into focus.

"Nothing."

Niall rolled his eyes and leaned forward.

"Liam, it's okay to have a crush on someone," he said.

"No, it's pathetic," came the response. It really wasn't to anyone else but Liam, who buried his face in his hands, dragging his fingers down, exaggerating his features. He thought of crushes as things that barely pubescent schoolgirls had, not this thing that seemed practically debilitating every time he thought of long lashes above sharp cheekbones or a pair of beautiful lips or. Fuck. He looked at Niall, whose grin simply widened.

"Your 'thinking about Zayn' face is priceless," Niall said with a slight laugh. He trailed off as his eyes wandered out the window of the Starbucks they sat in, falling squarely on two leggy blondes walking by. Liam stared at Niall staring out and promptly rolled his eyes. He returned his attention to his laptop, the anthropology paper nearly finished, but Niall pressed the screen slowly and forcefully shut.

"Dude, I'm almost done!" Liam said, opening the screen back up.

"Ugh, hurry up! Neither of us has gotten laid since we've started school and you're here writing a paper."

"Don't you have any work to finish?" Liam remarked, brushing off the last part with accustomed ease.

"Actually, no. I have a group project starting in November, but other than that, I just have exams to study for. So, hurry it up. I wanna do things before we can't. And there's also an overdue FIFA asskicking with your name on it."

It was Fall Break, which meant they had extra time to goof off and relax. It was an extended weekend, a Thursday and Friday with no classes which meant time spent at home, where laundry was done for them and there was no need to eat ramen because there were actual groceries at home. That, and they had no idea how to cook. So, at Niall's behest, Liam typed out the last bit of his conclusion and clicked 'save'. Before he knew it, his things were shoved into his backpack for him, and the two took off for downtown.

The main square was alive at this time of the year, with people from the cider mills handing out hot cider and fresh cinnamon sugar donuts to passersby, and the leaves glowed serenely when the sunlight filtered through them. Decorations for Halloween were already on full display, and there was even a booth selling pumpkins and carving kits. Liam stared at one carved pumpkin a little too long, and he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"So, you gonna tell me what's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" Liam asked.

"Mate, we live together. We went to elementary, middle, and high school together. I know when something's bugging you. You've been preoccupied since we came home."  
  
Liam sighed. "It's just...the rest of my family."  
  
"Is that what all this is about? Why didn't you say anything?"

Niall pieced it together too quickly for Liam's liking, a consequence of having known each other since they were in elementary school. He was the first to know about Liam and the first to comfort him after Liam came out to his family. While neither of their parents cared, Liam's extended family reacted differently, and it hadn't been the happiest of times at home.

"Is that partly why you're so reluctant to talk about Zayn?" Niall continued.

"I guess, yeah. I feel like I can't talk about him without reminding my parents why the rest of our family isn't talking to me," Liam muttered.

"You could always live with us, you know. We'd adopt you. And then you could gush about Zayn all you want!" Liam smiled at the half-joke, but he knew Niall was serious about the offer too. Plus, they lived within walking distance from each other, so if he ever needed to run, he didn't have to go far.

"I know. And I'd probably gain fifty pounds from all that you guys can eat."

"Hey! We don't eat that much!"

Despite his joke, Liam ended up eating most of the box of donuts that Niall had charmed from the woman at one of the booths, and the two headed back to Niall's as the sun began to set. Out of the corner of his eye, on the edge of the square, Liam could have sworn he saw a boy with jet black hair just like Zayn had, but he was too far to see him clearly. It could have been wishful thinking, his mind playing tricks and planting an illusion. He noticed Niall watching him but neither of them said anything.

[-] Halloween [-]

"There, almost done."

Liam added the last of the eyeshadow and stepped away, relatively pleased with his makeup skills. Niall looked in the bathroom mirror and nodded his approval.

"Where's this party again?" Liam asked, stripping down in his bedroom.

"It's on Elm Street. It's the annual 'Nightmare on Elm Street' block party."

Liam slipped on the brown leather briefs and headed to the bathroom in nothing else. Niall readied the blood makeup and went to work. As with every year, they made their costumes from scratch, and they always made it count, even if it was just for one day of the year. Niall decided to go as an 80s rocker while Liam figured he'd go as a Spartan from "300", hence the leather briefs. It was a risqué choice, he knew that, but he was proud of the hours he had put into the gym and the results he got. Besides, it was his first year of college. There was no reason to be shy around strangers. Not yet.

Niall painted large, red streaks where cuts were to be and splashed a bit of fake blood on Liam's body to make it seem like he was fresh from battle. Liam inspected the artwork and after giving it a quick thumbs up, he donned his cape and sandals while Niall readied the wig and leopard print tights, and the pair headed out.

If Liam thought the frat party were crazy, this was off the charts. Music blared from just about every house, each presumably with their own DJ. Beer pong tables were set up on just about every front lawn and he could make out a few kegs in the darkness, although he suspected there were many more inside.

Niall led them to a friend's house first, one toward the end of the short one-way street. Like most of the houses on the block, it was old, somehow still standing after having suffered decades at the hands of raucous students, but familiar all the same. There was no music in this one but it was still loud and dark. The only place that was lit was the kitchen, and luckily for them, Niall's friend was there. He was tall, about Liam's height, with long, lanky limbs and a mat of brown curls atop his head, dressed as a professional chef.

"Harry! What's up?" Niall shouted.

"Niall!" The guy lit up like a child on Christmas morning and excused himself from the girl he was talking to. He walked over and pulled Niall into a tight hug.

"This is my roommate, Liam. Liam, this is Harry."

"Nice to meet you, Harry."

"Nice to meet you, Liam."

He poured them each a cup of blue jungle juice and leaned back against the kitchen counter. The three of them chatted easily away from the noise. Harry was a cool guy, from what Liam gathered. He had this monotone, syrupy voice combined with a natural charm, but more than that, he felt like someone Niall could trust, and that meant Liam could trust him too.

"Oh, I think your phone's going off," Liam pointed out, noting the flashing lights in Harry's pocket.

"Ah, thank you."

He answered and hung up with a quick, "See you soon." He looked over at the two of them and asked, "Wanna head over to another house? My friend has a surprise for us."

"Uh, yeah. Let's do it. Li?"

"Sure."

A wide grin spread across Harry's face and he led them out. The block had become even busier in the time they hung out in the kitchen. Girls in scantily clad outfits, some not wearing clothes made of fabric at all (an ABC party, they later found out) and guys with hastily thrown together, unoriginal costumes trotted about, all clutching a Solo cup or drink of some sort.

They ended up at a house across the street. Harry ran up the steps and shook hands with a guy of stockier build. He had short brown hair and blue eyes that practically glowed in the night, and he was dressed in a lion onesie. Something about him seemed almost too familiar, but Liam couldn't quite place the face. He introduced himself as Louis to Niall and Liam, and hurriedly ushered them inside. Relative to the other houses, his was fairly quiet. There was music playing in the living room but it was easily drowned out from the noise outside.

As soon as the door was shut and locked, Louis pulled every blind shut and flicked on a table lamp. He pulled out a plastic sandwich bag with three white sticks, each the size of a lollipop stick. Louis giggled madly, but the three of them simply stared blankly at him. He then rolled his eyes but said nothing more as he corralled them all toward the basement.  
  
"Yo, Tommo! You got the good stuff or what?" someone shouted.

"Keep your shirt on, Malik!" Louis shouted back.

The basement alone could have sufficed as a haunted house, Liam thought. It was just one big room with concrete on all sides. There was a large splotch of dried red paint from the wall to the ground that could have verily doubled as blood and there were spiderwebs everywhere. In the center was a hanging lamp, a TV, and a couple of lumpy, torn couches angled so that they were facing each other. Someone with a long, floor-length black cape stood by one of the couches, texting on his phone.

"I've brought a few friends. The more the merrier, right?" Louis added.

The guy, his face obscured by an obscenely high collar, turned around taking a gulp from his Solo cup. And then promptly choked on it when his eyes met Liam's. Ever the protective one, Liam jogged over and forcefully slapped the guy's back a few times as he tried to cough the alcohol out of his lungs.

"You alright there?" he asked. The guy straightened up after a few moments, the exertion masked by the white makeup of his face, and nodded. Liam furrowed his brows and it took a whole two seconds for it to click.

"Zayn, is that you?"

"Hey, Liam. Fancy seeing you here," came the raspy response. Zayn's eyes lingered on Liam, trailing down his body and the lack of clothing, and turned away with another cough. Liam's heart fluttered wildly and his mouth went dry. He wrapped his cape around himself as discreetly as he could, as if trying to hide himself from the dress-up vampire. Niall clapped a hand over his smile to stop himself from commenting while Louis and Harry exchanged a look and said nothing.

"I'm fine. Really." Zayn coughed a couple more times, his eyes wet from the strain, and mustered up a smile. He nodded toward the couch and soon, without further ado, everyone took a seat. Niall sat next to Harry and Louis and Liam joined Zayn on the other couch, albeit with great apprehension. Liam staunchly ignored the smirk on Niall's face and instead focused on the plastic bag that Louis had pulled out again. Harry provided a lighter, and that's when it all clicked.

Louis went first, pulling out one of the joints, and lit up. He coughed a bit on the first breath but sucked in another and successfully held it in for a few seconds before breathing it out in a smooth stream of pungent smoke. Harry took it next, and it went on like that, except for Zayn, who Liam figured had some help from the cigarettes, and eventually, the entire basement was filled with the smell of cannabis.

Finally, it fell to Liam. He could feel eight anxious eyes on him, eager to see the boy deviate from his innocence, and Liam was in no mood to disappoint. He held the joint up to his lips and took a drag. It was his first attempt at smoking anything, so he coughed and sputtered, but he tried again.

And a few minutes later (what felt like an hour to them), they were happily stoned. While Niall and Louis were getting restless, Harry grinned like an idiot at the light hanging from the ceiling. But Zayn seemed almost excited, sitting there with his eyes wide, almost as if he were an actual creature of the night hunting for blood.

"Any of you shotgun before?" Zayn asked.

One by one, they shook their heads. Zayn tapped Liam on the shoulder and asked, "Hey, uh, wanna try to shotgun?"

"What's that?" Liam slurred.

"Uh...hmmm. It's probably better if I just show all of you. Just, don't let any of the smoke escape. You'll know what I mean."

Zayn snagged the joint dangling loosely from Harry's fingers, stumbling a bit before he collapsed back on the couch with an 'oomph'. He turned himself toward Liam, who did the same, anticipation obvious in his eyes. Zayn took a deep drag and held the smoke in. He locked eyes with Liam and grabbed his chin, tugging him so that their heads were close. Liam, whose heart had finally calmed down was now speeding up again as Zayn closed the gap between them. Lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub. His lips parted in expectation and soon, they touched the outermost curve of Zayn's lips, and Zayn let the smoke go. Liam managed to breathe it all in, slowly and steadily, until he didn't.

Somehow, sometime during the actual shotgunning, the smoke spilled out forgotten as Zayn's lips pressed firmly against Liam's or Liam's against Zayn's. Whoever kissed whom first, it didn't matter because neither of them backed away. Liam had no reservations, no inkling of inhibition that would otherwise tell him, "Stop, you barely know the guy." Zayn was kissing him and that was all he could ever ask for, high or otherwise, and it was beautiful. His lips were warm and soft, and when his tongue slipped through asking for Liam's, he responded in kind.

Meanwhile, the other three simply watched the impromptu makeout session before them. There wasn't much else to do other than watch, really. One of Zayn's hands was on Liam's neck, gently pulling him in, while the other was pressed flat against his toned pec, gripping for support. Liam's hands planted themselves firmly around Zayn's waist, and they planned on keeping him there. As far as anyone knew, this was shotgunning, and they were too intrigued at the sight to try it themselves.

Feeling the uncomfortable strain in his leather briefs, Liam shifted slightly, and abruptly, Zayn snapped them both out of their reverie. He backed away, his black lipstick messed up and smudged all over Liam's lips, and huffed out breath after ragged breath. Liam stared, shocked at the sudden break, and watched as Zayn backed slowly away until he vanished up the stairs.

"Well...I can't say I saw that coming," Louis commented, eyes darting toward Liam's crotch. He stood up and ran upstairs as well, presumably to find Zayn, while Niall and Harry stayed put. Liam realized, seconds later, the prominent bulge in his leather briefs, and quickly covered himself with his cape. He was confused and incredibly horny now, but more the former than anything. Niall didn't know whether or not to congratulate him, and Harry, being the sensible one, shook his head and suggested they all head out back to the party to clear their heads. Liam nodded, unable to process what had just happened, as Niall dragged him out of his seat.

[-] November [-]

On a campus so large and populous, Liam shouldn't be shocked that he hadn't seen Zayn since their...encounter. Maybe Zayn was avoiding Liam, that was certainly plausible, but even then, he never stopped thinking about it. Much like the memory of their first encounter, it surfaced from time to time, only with this recollection, Liam felt a stronger surge of emotion crash over him. Many times, he'd find himself touching his lips to make sure that it was real, that it wasn't part of the high, that his lips told the truth. With exams and papers piling up, however, he had little time to fantasize and explore his feelings for Zayn.

When Thanksgiving rolled around, he thought he would finally have time to talk to Niall about it, but the moment he set foot in his home, he felt something he didn't think he'd ever feel again - back in the closet. His grandparents and various members of their extended family had flown in this year for the holiday, and many of them were less than pleased to see him, let alone be around him. To make matters worse, his grandparents would be staying with his family, and he could only bear the scrutiny for so long.

It wasn't long before he sneaked over to Niall's.

"Li? What a surprise! Come on in!"

"Hey, Aunt Maura. It's great to see you," Liam said. They embraced and she ushered him inside. He slipped his boots off and shut the door behind him.

"Why didn't you say you were coming over? I would have made you some lemon bars and tea!"

She called Niall and ran off to the kitchen to make said treats. Niall came bounding downstairs with a grin but his expression morphed into something serious when he saw the way Liam looked back at him.

"My room or the basement?" he asked.

"Whichever's quieter," Liam replied.

Niall nodded. "Mom, we'll be upstairs!"

They went upstairs and as soon as they were in, Niall shut the door behind him. His bedroom, as long as Liam had known Niall, had never changed. A large Irish flag hung above his headboard, a symbol of his proud heritage, and on the nightstand was the picture of him and Liam as kids on the day they met, and Liam smiled knowing he had the same photo by his.

Niall plopped down on his bed and laid back and Liam slid in next to him, and the two stayed like that for a brief moment, eyes on the ceiling.

"How bad is it?" Niall asked quietly.

"Sometimes, I wanna leave and never come back. I just want to...take the next flight out to somewhere far, far away."

"So...it's bad."

"Yeah," Liam huffed dryly. He ran a hand over his buzzcut and breathed out. It was always comforting to know that Niall could effortlessly read him, so he never had to say much to get his feelings across. Niall took his hand, as he always did when Liam was upset, and squeezed.

"Think about it this way, Li. You can go anywhere you want to after college. You can fly as far as you want for whatever it is you're going to do, and more likely than not, I'll be there too. And I'm more than sure that you'll be happy," Niall said.

"You'll be there?"

"You may not be blood, but you'll always be kin."

Liam smiled.

"Good."

A knock came on the door and they sat up.

"I've got some tea and cookies!" Niall's mom said, poking her head in with a smile.

Later on, Liam and Niall moved to the basement where they were playing a game of pool. Liam sent his mom a text saying that he would stay at Niall's for the night, to which she replied with an apology and that she would make it up to him. After that, Niall dragged him downstairs, claiming they needed a change of scenery because Liam's pout was too potent for the average man to handle. The football game played quietly in the background, punctuated by the commentators from time to time, and according to Niall's mom, the lemon bars were almost done.

It was Liam's turn, and Niall leaned against the wall with his cue off in one hand. He watched as Liam scrunched his face in concentration, hunched over the table with his tongue tucked in the corner of his mouth. The cue was just about to strike when Niall cut in with a comment.

"So, I have a group project coming up for my history class."

Briefly, Liam stopped to pay attention before preparing to strike again.

"And Zayn's my partner," Niall mentioned, checking out his nails for show. Liam whiffed, nearly falling onto the table. Niall stepped on over with a sly smirk as Liam stepped away, the tint in his cheeks obvious.

"We'll be working on it until the end of the semester," he went on, bending down and positioning his cue.

"And we're meeting after the break..." Niall sank his shot, "at our apartment."

He didn't miss how Liam's grip on his cue had blanched his knuckles entirely. Niall sank another two balls before missing his third, and it was Liam's turn again, who by now realized that he may not win this game with Niall's ongoing commentary. This was not the way he wanted to talk about his crush. Yes, his crush, he finally admitted it to himself. And damn it all that he didn't have anyone to dangle in front of Niall.

"I have to say, I can see why you like him."

Liam readied his cue.

"He's one of the quiet types. Smart, brooding...and he's pretty," Niall added. And as Liam was about to shoot, he heard, "He was asking where you were. So shy, that one. You should have seen his reaction when he found out that we live together."

Again, Liam whiffed. He glared at Niall, whose grin was almost painfully wide now. Liam backed away and watched as the 8 ball rolled easily into the corner pocket.

"Just be around, alright?" Niall asked. He winked at Liam who was in the process of trying to will the blood out of his cheeks. Just then, Mrs. Horan came downstairs with a bright smile and a resounding announcement.

"The lemon bars are done!"

[-] December [-]

"Is it hot in here? I think we need to turn the thermostat down."

On the couch, Niall narrowed his eyes at his roommate from underneath the layers of wool blankets wrapped snugly around him. Liam was pacing around the apartment barefoot in nothing but a thin tee and sweatpants, somehow immune to the cold seeping through the walls. Truth was, he was anxious about Zayn coming over, who was due any minute now.

"Don't touch the heating, man. I'm barely getting circulation as it is," Niall muttered.

Liam waved him off and ran upstairs. He stripped down to his boxers and figured that he had enough time for to grab a cold drink before Zayn arrived. He hopped down the steps a few at a time and as he rounded the corner, he saw the door closing and Zayn shedding his backpack and coat. Liam froze. Zayn's jaw dropped open as his eyes glanced over Liam's exposed body. The two stood still for what seemed like ages before Liam finally snapped to his senses, turned back around and ran back up the stairs, face hotter than he's ever known, redder than the dying sun. And just before he shut the bedroom door, he heard Niall asking Zayn, "Everything alright?"

No. No, it was not.

A couple of hours of studying later, Liam managed to get over his embarrassment and go back downstairs, this time dressed in a tee and lounge shorts, only to find an empty living room with papers strewn everywhere. Not a moment later, Zayn came out of the bathroom and the two froze again in each other's presence.

"Uh, Niall ran to campus to print something. He said you didn't have a printer and that he'd be back soon," Zayn blurted, pointing his thumb in a general direction behind him.

Liam nodded awkwardly, trying his damndest not to blush, and nodded again as he walked into the kitchen. Not wanting to feel inhospitable, he jerkily turned around and asked, "Do you want anything to drink? Eat? I've just bought a pack of cream soda."

"Actually...yeah. Cream soda sounds good," Zayn replied with a nervous smile.

He took a hesitant seat at the dining table and Liam sat down across him, sliding the bottle over.

"So...what are you guys working on?" Liam asked.

"We were given free reign to present on anything we wanted. Niall and I chose Chinese history, which is a lot more work than we realized."

"Let me guess, Niall suggested it because he thought you'd have a lot more to choose from."

Zayn laughed, tipping his head back with a radiant smile, and that seemed to dispel Liam's unease. Time rewound itself. They fell straight into an effortless banter, and it quenched a thirst that Liam didn't know he had. Zayn made him indescribably happy and light, like everything in the world had softer edges and a glow, and that he was allowed to forget about school and appearances and what was expected of him.

On the couch, where they moved to, they sat watching a rerun of Ugly Betty as they waited for Niall to return. Not until Marc had man-slapped Wilhelmina down the stairs did he notice it. The touching. They had been touching for quite a time and only now was he aware of it. From shoulder to knee, side by side, they were leaning into each other. Liam turned and let his gaze linger a bit long because Zayn turned and faced him, both of them close enough to smell and feel the other's breath. The noise from the TV dissipated as Liam lost himself in Zayn's eyes, and he wondered if Zayn could notice the distance between them disappearing. He must have because Zayn didn't question it. It was as if he were leaning further in too, and damn it all if Liam were imagining this, the growing scent of mint gum in his nostrils, how damp the breath felt against his lips, or how Zayn looked almost hopeful.

"I got some Chinese food."

The two of them were so caught up in their moment they didn't hear the door opening.

"I was thinking that if we ate Chinese food while we worked on Chinese history, it'll make things easier, give us more ideas."

They tore their eyes away and saw Niall, covered from head to toe in winter gear, walking toward them with a thin stack of papers and a bag of takeout in his hands. Oblivious bastard, Liam thought to himself. He patted Zayn's knee and got off the couch, missing the warmth as the cold air sapped it away. He shot a quick look at Zayn, who grinned wryly back.

"I'll let you two get back to work," he said. Niall frowned, knowing full well that Liam could see his share of takeout in the bag as well, but he said nothing as Liam vanished from view.

The rest of the night dripped away at a glacial pace, and Liam got no work done whatsoever. All he could think about was Zayn. ZaynZaynZayn. Like a palpable heartbeat. He lay in bed wanting to bury himself in his pillow and scream and sigh and smile. That was a moment, wasn't it?

Eventually, he heard the door below open and shut, and he took that to mean that Zayn had left for the night. Not long after, he heard Niall stomping up the stairs and knock on his door.

"Come in."

"Hey," Niall said, sticking his head in. For what it was worth, he looked a bit sad and confused.

"Hey," Liam returned flatly.

"I got something for you."

"Oh?"

Niall stepped in and handed Liam a slip of paper. On it was a phone number and nothing else.

"Whose is it?" Liam asked.

Niall grinned and replied, "You know who. We exchanged phone numbers and I figured you might use it more than me."

Liam was about to throw some sarcastic remark back, but he figured that this was Niall's way of apologizing. So, he took it and smiled.

"Thanks," he whispered.

[-]

Liam being Liam, he forgot that Zayn's number existed, and the slip of paper was somewhere on his nightstand collecting dust. But, Zayn came over just about every day to work on this history project that he and Niall were assigned. Why Niall never went over to work at Zayn's, no one asked or wanted to know. There might have been mention of his place being messy, but Liam didn't mind. In fact, he made it a point of coming downstairs every time Zayn was there, timing it just right so that he actually 'needed' to leave his room, either to get a glass of water or to make a light snack.

And every time, Liam smiled at Zayn, who smiled brightly back, a tint of pink fresh across his cheeks, and Liam liked to think that he was the cause of that, not the blistering winter air. Niall noticed (of course, how could he not) but he respectfully pretended not to for the sake of appearances. He was, however, getting frustrated at the lack of progress. It was always a "Hey, Zayn" and a "Hey, Liam" and nothing more.

So, what he did was this: he planned on purposely forgetting things so that Zayn and Liam would have to interact while he'd be off at the student union printing things or whatnot.

The first (and only) time it happened was by sheer accident because he actually did need to run to the library to borrow a book before it closed. Liam had his headphones on, jamming out to some song as he was folding his laundry in his room, and heard a knock on his door. Zayn stood in the hallway, reticent and a touch anxious, and it dawned on Liam that they hadn't spoken or truly interacted in a while.

"Hey," he said, taking off his headphones.

"Hey." Zayn smiled and hovered awkwardly by the doorway with his arms behind his back. "So...Niall ran off to the library and he told me his binder was up here. I didn't want to snoop, so I was hoping you could find it for me?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Let's take a tour, shall we?"

Zayn nodded nervously and they entered the mess that Niall called a bedroom. Jokingly, Liam held an arm up as if to protect Zayn from falling into a poisonous pit, and thankfully, Zayn caught on, feigning a swoon and adding a melodramatic "My hero" for good measure. The binder, unfortunately, sat on the desk, clear in the line of sight, and there was no use pretending he didn't know what it looked like. Liam handed it to Zayn with a slight sigh.

"So...tea while we wait?" Liam offered.

Down in the kitchen, they resumed their usual cycle. Liam would be lying to himself if he said he didn't look forward to this every day. Except. There was something different about today. Zayn seemed on edge and it practically warped the air around him. Even if the conversation flowed like it had, Liam sensed the mild agitation creeping into every syllable, all the while carefully avoiding the possible moment they shared last time. And maybe because of that, they hit a lull.

Zayn fidgeted by the counter, biting his nails and scratching his head, and he was more anxious than Liam had ever seen him. Suddenly, he looked up, his mouth open, eyes wide and afraid, a question ready in his throat, when the door opened.

"I got the book just as the library was closing. I'm so good!" Niall triumphantly announced.

"Damned timing," Zayn muttered, looking away. Liam sighed, his disappointment visible in the form of a pout, and followed as Zayn left the kitchen. Quietly, he asked, "Next time, yeah?"

Zayn didn't hear him, and Liam left him and Niall to their devices. Up in his bedroom, he plopped down on his bed, the sheets cool underneath his fingertips, and he caught sight of a dusty slip of paper on his nightstand. He grabbed it, blowing the dust off, and fished out his phone. His heart pounded as he typed in the number and then a message, one that he hoped he wouldn't regret sending.

Meanwhile, downstairs, as they pored over their endless amount of research, Zayn's phone came alive with a new text from a mystery number. It read, "This is Liam. I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner sometime."

Zayn's heart skipped a beat. He smiled like a lunatic as he typed, "I'd love to."

Not a heartbeat later, he and Niall heard a faint "Yes!" being screamed.

[-]

The day after their very first college finals were done with, Liam and Niall went out for drinks in the morning. Liam's calculus exam was at eight in the morning on a Tuesday and the moment he finished, Niall dragged him to a bar. He figured if they were to celebrate, they had to start early. Besides, Harry and Louis were already there, waiting for him to come. Despite the fact that Liam was in no mood for a beer right after a ridiculous final, he settled for being around friends.

The bar was fairly empty for this time of year, as most students had already gone home for the holidays, so they decided to sit at the counter, pretending to be regulars. Louis and Harry were being their usual bromantic selves, a friendship that Liam noticed had taken form so quickly and heartily it was difficult not to be jealous of. They all managed to order a beer (because apparently, the bartender was in no mood to card them) and toasted to the end of their first semester.

The bell above the door jingled just then, and the four of them turned, squinting through the glare as a figure approached them. Liam received the brunt of the sun in his eyes, so it wasn't until Niall and Louis had greeted him that Liam's stomach flipped.

"Zayn! Glad you could make it!"

"Likewise, gentlemen."

He walked over past Niall and the bromance, and took the barstool beside Liam, albeit with slight hesitation. Liam smiled, pushing down the butterflies in his stomach, and asked if he'd like anything to drink. Zayn nodded. Liam flagged down the bartender who simply handed out another beer without batting an eyelash and they proceeded to hover awkwardly around each other for the next three minutes. They hadn't seen each other in two weeks, but the anticipation remained strong between them.

Finally, Liam asked, "Are you free tonight?"

Almost too quickly, Zayn blurted, "Yes. Yes, I am."

Liam smiled brightly and, summoning every last bit of courage, he said, "Good, 'cause I like you, Zayn Malik."

Zayn stared blankly for a second and Liam could feel his heart about to tear itself into shreds. It never happened, however, because, in deft movements, Zayn snaked a hand around the back of Liam's neck, and the next thing he knew, Zayn pulled him in for a kiss. And Liam definitely wasn't imagining it all this time. All of those feelings from their moment on Halloween came rushing back. It was soft, gentle, warm, imparted on beer-soaked lips, and it was the most wonderful thing Liam's experienced in ages. So, when Zayn pulled back just enough for them to catch a breath, he whispered a response against Liam's lips, "About damn time, Liam Payne. I like you, too."

Niall whooped from the other end of the bar, spilling a bit of beer on the counter. Harry and Louis grinned at them and clapped like they'd just witnessed a couple exchanging 'I do's'.

Liam blushed furiously when the bartender joined in, his face stoic and gesture without emotion, and ducked his head toward Zayn, who did the same. Their foreheads touching, Liam whispered, "Pick you up at 7?"

[-] April [-]

Under the shower, while the afternoon was bright and the spring air was cool, Zayn and Liam were washing the sweat, grime, and cum off each other. Their second round of finals week (and thus, their first year of college) was over, and the first thing they did was celebrate with sex, despite Niall, Harry, and Louis begging them to come out. The two made a pact that they wouldn't see each other until their finals and papers were done with because they would otherwise serve to distract each other.

A long week of final papers and exams had passed, and Liam missed the now accustomed body beneath the sheets next to him. He missed the warmth, the touch, the lips, and all that Zayn was. And the first thing Zayn did, beautifully sweet Zayn, when he came over to Liam's apartment was hold on to him tightly. He took a deep breath, smelling Liam like a freshly plucked flower, and muttered, "Let's never do that again." And Liam couldn't agree more.

So, here they were, in the shower, post-sex, gently kissing each other like they had all the time they could need. They were long clean, but neither of them cared. Zayn pressed a kiss square in the center of Liam's chest and then looked up, his heart suddenly hit with the stark realization that he's falling hard and fast for the boy with the honest eyes. And Liam's heart pounded as warmth pooled around it, staring back at Zayn with awe and reverence. He felt it too.

After the shower, out in the kitchen of Zayn's apartment, Liam was in his boxers making an early dinner, his hair still matted down with moisture. Zayn sat on the barstool by the counter, hands in his lap, watching Liam's butt with a soft smirk.

"Any plans for the summer?" Zayn asked.

"I don't know," Liam hummed, adding a dash of oregano to the pan, "As long as you're there, I think I'll be fine with anything."

"In that case, I think I'm down for some traveling."

"Oh, yeah? Where to?" Liam wondered.

He turned off the burner and turned to see Zayn staring thoughtfully at him. And then, he saw the grin forming on Zayn's face.

"I hear Montreal's nice this time of year."


End file.
